I need some help on buying a mixer

[wan2no]

I'm looking to buy a mixer to enhance my audio when i'm doing my recordings. However, I want a mixer that is going to be cheap but still effective.

What are the factors i need to consider when i'm choosing the mixers?

Which is better to start off with, the 8 channel or the 16 channel?

Bare in my mind i'm small scale.

[CBC]

Are you talking about strictly audio (as in recording your songs)?
I would look at "all in one" solutions, which would be a multi channel mixer/recorder from such companies as Roland, Yamaha, Fostex, etc Cheapest would be ones still using cassettes to record too, next comes recording to memory sticks, then to built in hard drives

http://www.tweakheadz.com/multi_track_recorders.htm

[redwudz]

I'm assuming you are asking about hardware mixers. Take a look at some offerings by Behringer: http://www.behringer.com/02_products/mixer_index.cfm?lang=ENG

They have a lot of models and many are very reasonably priced.

[wan2no]

well okay. i'm not too ofay with the audio terminology but i want the mixer for video purposes. Instead of recording the audio in the ambience, i want to get clear audio. I also wanted to get some microphones, preferably wireless microphones.

I saw the mixers but to tell you the honest truth all of them looked good due to the fact that i didn't know didley squat what I was looking for

Thanks for the assistance

thanks in advance for anymore advice

[Cornucopia]

Video of what?

How much is your budget? (Mikes, cables, mixer etc all included)

Scott

[wan2no]

video for concerts and graduations which would be comprised of at least 200 persons.

i'm looking at spending $1500

[Cornucopia]

Sorry to ask a little bit more without giving you anything concrete yet...

How mobile do you need your camera(s) to be?
How mobile are your sound sources going to be? (Unpredictable?)
How MANY SIMULTANEOUS individual sound sources will you think you will need to manage?
Will it be just YOU alone doing the recording?

Just a few notes:
Wired is almost always better quality than Wireless (because of RF distortion and high-frequency rolloff on the wireless)
Wireless is good for (out-of-sight) mobility.

Scott

[wan2no]

i mean it doesn't matter how much i was. probably to mics and the rest for speakers so i was looking at a 8 channel mixer but i know if i get any gig bigger than what i that then the 16 channel is more ideal to get. I'm going to be having professional camers that i can move around with. Well its 2 cameras that i woul have.

I would get someone handle the mixer and i would handle the cameras somehow.

I was looking for a mixer than can handle wireless microphones because i may not be always in a situation to set up the equipment next to the stage

[edDV]

I'd start with this one to learn. It has simple versions of all the features of the larger mixers. The Eurorack MX602A can be had online for ~$40


http://www.behringer.com/02_products/proddetail.cfm?lang=ENG&id=MX602A&type=310
http://www.behringerdownload.de/MX602A/MX602A_B_Specs.pdf

If you know going in that you need more, the standards are the Mackie 1202-VLZ or 1604-VLZ. The Eurorack is a knock off of the revolutionary Mackie 1202VLZ.

Mackie 1202-VLZ Pro

[edDV]

i mean it doesn't matter how much i was. probably to mics and the rest for speakers so i was looking at a 8 channel mixer but i know if i get any gig bigger than what i that then the 16 channel is more ideal to get. I'm going to be having professional camers that i can move around with. Well its 2 cameras that i woul have.

I would get someone handle the mixer and i would handle the cameras somehow.

I was looking for a mixer than can handle wireless microphones because i may not be always in a situation to set up the equipment next to the stage

Why do you need a field mixer?

Are you doing live broadcasts from the field?
Or editing in hotel rooms?
Are you recording music live?

[wan2no]

I'm simply going through the motions. I'm exploring.

i want to provide clearer audio for video. I also wanna be able to provide assistance with the audio for an event.

I also wanted to get into recording music in the distant future.

So a mixer that is versatile enough for both audio production for video as well as for music is good with me

[edDV]

I'm simply going through the motions. I'm exploring.

i want to provide clearer audio for video. I also wanna be able to provide assistance with the audio for an event.

I also wanted to get into recording music in the distant future.

So a mixer that is versatile enough for both audio production for video as well as for music is good with me

Those two above are the standards for small event recording and are widely used to support video editing. The mixer can feed into or loop through the PC. It can also mix for house sound. Pro camcorders can record 4 tracks each. For editing, it's best to have each voice on separate tracks so they can be separately equalized.

My advice is to start small and proceed one step at a time learning the limitations.

[wan2no]

Since its a small event recording, would you suggest a 8 track or 16 track.

Does any of the above mixers have a firewire interface and can they handle wireless microphones.

thanks for the advice.

[edDV]

Since its a small event recording, would you suggest a 8 track or 16 track.

Does any of the above mixers have a firewire interface and can they handle wireless microphones.

thanks for the advice.

There are so many ways to do audio that is why I suggest you start small and figure out what you need. To do wireless mics for music recording you are talking thousands.
It comes down to the type of recording you are doing and your budget. You could buy a used 1604 Mackie and a half dozen wired mics for around a thousand. A diigtal mixer adds another $800 and wirless music quality mics another couple thousand. To do music seriously you need a multitrack digital audio recorder for another few thousand.

None of this would be of much use to you unless you hired a sound engineer.

[wan2no]

wow! you got to be kidding me. So much money you have to invest. i was looking at putting at least a thousand dollars the most. I thought that would have more than fit the bill. wow! this is going to be a trip.

So first of all what are the other ways i can do clean audio.

[edDV]

wow! you got to be kidding me. So much money you have to invest. i was looking at putting at least a thousand dollars the most. I thought that would have more than fit the bill. wow! this is going to be a trip.

So first of all what are the other ways i can do clean audio.

Same way as always. Quality mics cabled to a quality mixer then to a quality recorder or PC audio device. Seems like you are recording music events.

A digital mixer with firewire like the Mackie Onyx 1220 or 1640 is the next step up.
http://www.studica.com/products/product_detail.cfm?productid=10911
http://www.studica.com/products/product_detail.cfm?productid=10912
http://www.studica.com/products/product_detail.cfm?productid=10913
The firewire option allows multi track audio recording to a PC/Mac.
http://www.mackie.com/home/showimage.html?u=/products/onyx1620/images/1620_top_lg.jpg
http://www.mackie.com/products/onyxseries/firewire.html

[wan2no]

okay thanks alot for all the help.

I really appreciate it